Secrets
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: Piper's latest date since her breakup with Leo is with a man who may be hiding a secret of his own.
1. Default Chapter

CHARMED "Secrets"  
By J. B. Tilton email: Rating: G

Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

(Authors note: This story takes place between season 6 episodes "Soul Survivor" and "The Sword And The City".)

Piper's latest date since her breakup with Leo is with a man who may be hiding a secret of his own. 

ONE

Piper breezed into the manor without a care in the world. Even though it was well after midnight she wasn't the least bit tired. The form-fitting dress she was wearing testified that she had not been out fighting warlocks or vanquishing demons or anything "work" related.

"Well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," said Phoebe as she and Paige came out of the kitchen, each holding a bowl of ice cream.

"Ice cream again?" Piper asked. "What's that, four night in a row? You two are going to become diabetics."

"So, how was your date?" Paige asked, ignoring her older sister's snide remark.

"It was wonderful," Piper said. "We had dinner at one of the better five star restaurants. Then we took a trolley car ride down Main Street. And he topped it off with a romantic boat cruise in the moonlight."

"How romantic?" Phoebe asked, smirking. "I noticed you aren't wearing a bra."

"This dress isn't exactly cut to accommodate a bra," Piper giggled. "But it was nothing like that. Darren is a perfect gentleman. He hasn't made even a single advance in the two dates we've had."

"He's probably gay," Paige giggled.

"He is not gay," Piper said, mock anger in her voice. "He just wants to take it slow. And so do I. After the last few fiascos I've had I want to make sure he isn't going to get spooked."

"You mean by Wyatt orbing his eyes?" Paige asked. "By the way, have you told him about Wyatt yet?"

"No," Piper said. "I told you. I'm not telling anyone about him until after the honeymoon."

"I'm pretty sure that's something most men would want to know before they say 'I do'," Phoebe smirked.

"Well, maybe not the honeymoon," Piper said. "But I want to make sure he's comfortable with the idea before I say anything. For a while there I thought there was something wrong with me."

"Well, this Derwood sounds like a perfectly charming fellow," Phoebe said, a slight laugh in her voice.

"Darren," Piper said. "His name is Darren."

"I know," Phoebe said. "It's just that whenever I hear his name I'm reminded of the old 'Bewitched' reruns on television. Endora always insisted on mispronouncing Darren's name. Actually, it's kind of fun."

"Well, stop it," Piper said. "Like I said, Darren is a perfect gentleman. We have another date tomorrow night."

"So soon?" Paige questioned. "I thought you were taking it slow?"

"It's just a date," Piper protested.

"Yeah," Phoebe said, "the third one in five days. That's not exactly slow."

"Listen," Piper said, "I know I'm seeing a lot of Darren. But there are no demons attacking right now and I'd like to enjoy myself a little if you don't mind. Of course, that means I'm going to need a babysitter again tomorrow night."

"Don't worry about it," Paige said. "We're just having a little fun with you. Actually, it's nice to see you acting like a normal person for a change. And I for one have no problems with babysitting my nephew."

"Hey, you're not alone," Phoebe said. "I love it just as much as you do."

"What about Richard?" Piper asked. "Isn't he upset you're spending so much time at the manor instead of with him?"

"Oh, we see plenty of each other," Paige said coyly.

"No wonder you don't mind me watching Wyatt for a good part of the evening," Phoebe said. "You've been orbing over to his place."

"Guilty," Paige said. "Why should Piper have all the fun?"

"That just gives me more time with my nephew," Phoebe said.

"Well, it's late," said Piper. "And I should really spend some time at the club tomorrow before my date with Darren. Think I'll go to bed."

"Good night, sweetie," Phoebe said, kissing Piper on the cheek. "I really am glad you found someone you like. Just don't wait too long before you introduce us to him."

"In time," Piper said as she headed for her room. "In time." 


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

"What do you really know about this guy?" Chris insisted the next morning at breakfast. "How do you know he's not a demon?"

"He's no demon," Piper insisted. "He owns an import/export business. And doing quite well, I might add."

"That doesn't mean he isn't a demon," Chris said. "Have you checked him out?"

"No, and you aren't going to, either," Piper insisted. "Chris, I know you're all bent on finding this demon after Wyatt. But if it were a demon trying to get to Wyatt through me he would have said something by now. He'd be trying to 'discover' that I had a son and would be insisting on meeting him. The subject of children hasn't even come up."

"Someone should check this guy out," Chris said.

"Check whom out?" Leo asked coming into the room holding Wyatt.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked.

"Just spending some time with my son," Leo said. "I do have that right, you know."

"Yeah," Piper said, "I suppose you do. I was just surprised to see you, that's all. I figured you'd be off on Elder business or something."

"Plenty of time for that," Leo said, glancing suspiciously at Chris. "Who are you wanting to check out?"

"No one," Piper insisted. "I've been on a couple of dates with a guy and Chris thinks he's some demon trying to get to Wyatt through me."

"Oh," said Leo, wincing slightly.

The thought of Piper dating was still a sore subject with Leo. While he had come to accept that she would date, he still wasn't happy with the idea. Still, it was her life. He didn't have the right to tell her how to live it.

"I just think it's best to be safe, that's all," Chris said.

"Chris does have a point," Phoebe said. "We've had demons try some pretty elaborate plans before to get to us. What if this guy is a demon? When you find out it might be too late."

"Honestly," Piper said, "everyone we meet isn't a demon. What about Jason? Have you checked him out?"

"No," Phoebe said. "But Jason is not a demon."

"Neither is Darren," Piper said. "He's just a guy that happens to like being with me."

"I think it's sweet," Paige said. "Besides, if he does turn out to be a demon Piper can just blow him up."

"I'm not going to blow him up," Piper insisted. "Honestly, the four of you seem to have one track minds. Listen up and listen good. I don't want anyone - and I mean anyone - 'checking' up on Darren. He's the first decent date I've had in a long time and I won't have any of you messing things up. Am I clear on this, Chris?"

"Crystal," said Chris slightly dejected.

"I mean it," Piper said. "Don't do anything. Just stay out of it and let me handle it. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get to the club."

"I still think we should," Chris started after Piper had gone upstairs.

"Don't even finish that thought," Phoebe said. "If you do anything she's going to blow. And believe me, you don't want to get her temper up. I've seen it firsthand and it's not a pretty sight, not pretty at all. You should just stay out of it like she said."

"I don't like it," Chris said.

"Neither do I," said Leo, "but Phoebe is right. We all just need to stay out of it. If this guy turns out to be a demon, we can deal with that later. But she has enough to worry about right now without us adding to it."

"Promise you'll stay out of it," Paige said.

"Okay, I promise," said Chris. "But I'm going to keep an eye on her just the same. If this guy is a demon she may need some help."

"Just stay out of sight," Phoebe said. "If she sees you she's going to blow a gasket."

"I will," promised Chris.

"You think we can trust him?" Phoebe asked after Chris had orbed out.

"No," Leo responded almost before Phoebe had finished her question.

"He said he'd stay out of sight," Paige said. "I don't think he'll do anything that might annoy Piper. Besides, there really isn't much I can do about it."

"I can," Leo said.

"No, Leo, don't," said Phoebe. "It will just push Piper even farther away. I think all we can do for the moment is stay out of it and let her handle it like she said. I'm sure if she needs help she'll ask for it."

"Okay," Leo said handing Wyatt to Phoebe. "But I do have to get going. I have a couple of leads I need to check out."

"Persistent, isn't he?" Paige asked after Leo had orbed out.

"Can you blame him?" Phoebe asked. "Someone sent him to Valhalla where he was forced to fight to the death in an arena. Can't say I'd give up very easily if it were me, either."

"Well, if you can watch Wyatt, I think I'll head on over to Richard's for a while," Paige said. "If you don't mind."

"No, go on," Phoebe said. "Don't let me ruin your fun."

"Thanks," said Paige who immediately orbed out of the manor.

"Is it just me," Phoebe said to Wyatt, "or is there an awfully lot of orbing going on around here this morning?"

Wyatt just looked at her. Phoebe smiled and carried him into the living room to put him in his playpen. 


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

"Another five star restaurant," Piper commented as she and Darren ate dinner. "Tell me, do you eat this well every night?"

Darren was somewhat older than Piper. He appeared to be in his mid to late thirties, had dark brown hair, and the most amazing blue eyes Piper had ever seen. He wore expensive suits but didn't seem pretentious. He seemed to Piper to be like any other man she had met.

"Actually," said Darren, smiling, "I usually eat out of the pan over the sink. But I want to make a good impression. And since you told me you were a chef, I knew if it was anything less than the very best that wouldn't happen."

"You're going to make me fat," joked Piper.

"To be honest," said Darren, "I'm surprised you have such a nice figure. Most of the chefs I know are, shall we say, rather ample."

"Hazards of the profession, I'm afraid," Piper said. "The only way to truly know if a dish is properly prepared is to taste it. All that sample has a tendency to add up."

"So, what's you're secret?" Darren asked. "How could you be a professional chef and still have the figure of a super model?"

"Hardly a super model," Piper laughed. "But you might say I work out. Plus, I'm running P3 now instead of being a chef. That helps cut down on the calories."

"I can imagine," Darren said. "After dinner I thought we might take a carriage ride. The moon is full again and it's such a lovely evening."

"You're going to spoil me," said Piper, slightly embarrassed.

"That is the general idea," said Darren, smiling.

Piper thought about what the others had said. It was hard to believe that Darren could be a demon. His manners were impeccable and he hadn't given even the slightest indication of any ulterior motives. But Chris and Phoebe both had a point. This could be an elaborate plan to get her off her guard. Cole had used the same tactic on Phoebe.

"So tell me," Piper said. "Where are you from originally?"

"Originally?" Darren questioned. "Well, I was born in Washington State. But my parents moved to Maryland when I was still a baby. I moved to San Francisco to get away from all the cold and snow."

"No snow in San Francisco," Piper said.

"So I've noticed," Darren said. "You said you grew up here."

"Yes," Piper said. "I'm even living in the same house I grew up in. It's been in my family for generations."

"A lot of antiques, I'll bet," Darren said.

"Some," Piper said. "Mostly family heirlooms. And it has a lot of good memories."

"That's good," Darren said.

"You're a very strange man, Darren Carson," Piper said.

"How's that?" Darren questioned.

"You hardly ever talk about your work," Piper said. "Most men I know go on and on about their work."

"And you're disappointed that I don't?" Darren asked.

"No, no, not at all," Piper said. "It's kind of refreshing."

"Well, business is business," Darren said. "And this is pleasure. My father used to say, 'leave your work at the office and your family life at home'."

"He sounds like a wise man," Piper said.

"He was," said Darren. "I've found it works out pretty well. Whatever happens at work stays at work. I try not to let it spill over into my personal life."

"Excuse me, Mr. Carson," said their waiter. "There's a young gentleman at the front desk that insists on speaking with you. He says it's extremely urgent."

"Thank you, Miles," Darren said, looking to the front of the restaurant. "I'm sorry. It's, uh, Keith, my store manager. It must be important for him to interrupt me here. I won't be a minute."

"Take your time," Piper said.

She watched as Darren went to speak to a young man at the front desk. The man was younger than Darren, about Piper's age. He had blonde hair and was dressed more casually than Darren. As they spoke, they both glanced toward Piper several times. It appeared they were having some form of disagreement.

"I'm sorry," said Darren when he finally returned to the table. "I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this short. There's a problem at the store that I need to take care of right away. I'm terribly sorry about this."

"That's okay," said Piper, reaching for her bag. "I've had emergencies at the club myself. They rarely happen at an opportune moment. But you promised me a carriage ride and I'm going to hold you to it."

"I'll make good on it, I promise," Darren said. "Can I call you?"

"Sure," said Piper writing her phone number on a napkin. "We can finish this some other time."

"Thanks for being so understanding," said Darren. "A lot of women wouldn't."

"I'm not a lot of women," Piper said.

"So I've noticed," Darren said, smiling. "I'll at least walk you out."

"No, you go on," said Piper. "It's going to be hard enough getting a cab as it is. You go take care of your emergency. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Darren asked.

"Absolutely," said Piper. "Go on. If it's an emergency, it's not going to wait."

"Thanks," said Darren kissing her on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Piper collected her wrap as Darren hurried out the front door with Keith. She followed only a moment behind him but when she got outside neither Darren nor Keith were anywhere to be seen. Wondering how they had gotten a cab so fast, she hailed one of her own and headed for the manor. 


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

"And he just left you there?" Phoebe asked after Piper had returned home early that evening.

"I told him to," Piper said. "He had an emergency at his store."

"Don't you find it odd that he just seemed to vanish into thin air?" Paige asked.

"Yes, to be honest, I did find it odd," Piper said. "Maybe this Keith had a cab all ready waiting for them? If there was an emergency he'd want to get back as quickly as possible."

"Or maybe they shimmered away," Chris interjected.

"I did think of that," Piper said. "I find it difficult to believe that he's a demon. He's so charming and thoughtful. Not at all like the demons we're used to encountering."

"So was Cole," Phoebe said. "And he was sent to kill us, remember?"

"I remember," Piper said.

"Will you let me check him out now?" Chris asked.

"No," said Piper. "I still want to do this myself. But stay handy in case I need you. If he is a demon you may have to get Phoebe and Paige to me quick. Other than he seemed to disappear rather quickly, there's no indication that he's a demon. I want to be sure before we go charging off making accusations or something."

"I'll tell you what," Paige said. "Why don't I go down to his store tomorrow and look around? I could pretend to be shopping. At the very least I can find out something about him."

"That's a good idea," said Phoebe. "You said you hadn't mentioned either of us. For all he knows Paige will be just another customer."

"Well," said Piper, thinking it over, "I suppose it couldn't hurt. And if it turned out he is a demon you'd be able to orb out before anything happened."

"And I can keep an eye on her," Chris said. "If she runs into trouble I can give her a hand."

"Just don't do anything that might make him suspicious," Piper said.

"I'll be the model of discretion," Paige said.

"In the mean time," Piper said, "I think I'll check the Book of Shadows. Just to make sure he's not in there."

"That's a good idea," Phoebe said. "I'll do an internet search on Mr. Darren Carson. That might give us some useful information."

"I know we have to be on our guard against demons," Piper said, "but it just feels funny. Doing a background check on my date."

"Considering some of the dates we've had," Phoebe said, "we should do it a lot more often."

"Not just dates," Chris said. "Everyone you come into contact with. There's more than just Piper at stake here. There's also Wyatt, Paige, and you, Phoebe. A demon could be after any one of you. You should really be more careful."

"We're not going to start checking out every person who says hello to us," Piper insisted. "But I agree we should at least check Darren out. I'm sure it will turn out to be nothing. But just in case..."

"I'll get started right away," said Phoebe, heading for her room.

"I'll go to the store first thing in the morning," Paige said.

"I'll go with her," Chris said. "I can wait outside and if she runs into any trouble I can be inside in an instant."

"Well, I guess I'd better check the Book of Shadows," Piper said without much enthusiasm. "I just hope I don't find anything."

"Well, from what I could tell," Paige said the next morning, "there's nothing strange about that store. He seems to import a lot of stuff but nothing that would be considered suspicious. The sign said it had been in business for about ten years. The girl said that Darren was out on business. But I didn't see anything odd or anything that might be even remotely demonic."

"That coincides with what I found out," Phoebe said. "There was quite a bit about him on the Internet. Born in Seattle, Washington in 1967 his parents moved to Silver Spring, Maryland in 1968. He moved to San Francisco about ten years ago where he opened his import/export business. He's considered one of the most eligible bachelors in San Francisco. But nothing that might suggest he's a demon."

"I didn't find anything about him in the Book of Shadows," Piper said. "But then there was so little to go on. I really think we're barking up the wrong tree, guys. There's nothing to suggest any demonic connection."

"Except that he seems to disappear into thin air," Chris offered.

"So do you," said Paige. "As far as that goes, so do Leo and I. And we're certainly not demons. Maybe Piper is right. Maybe this Keith had a car waiting all ready."

"You're just going to give up?" Chris asked.

"What else would you suggest?" Piper asked. "We checked the guy out and he came up clean. What else do you want us to do?"

"Darryl," Phoebe said.

"What about Darryl?" Paige asked.

"Well," Phoebe said, "we haven't to see if this guy has a record. That's not something that might be accessible on the Internet. And I doubt he'd go advertising it. Darryl could run a check and see if the guy has a record or something."

"I don't know," Piper said. "It just seems wrong."

"Hey," said Chris, "it's not wrong if it helps protect you. And Phoebe is right. This guy may not be a demon but there are plenty of non-demonic predators out there. It can't hurt to ask Darryl to run a check on him."

"And if he finds something, then what?" Piper asked.

"We deal with that when, and if, it happens," Paige said. "If the guy hasn't got a record then no harm done. But we should at least check it out. When are you supposed to see this guy again?"

"He's going to call," Piper said. "Probably tonight or tomorrow."

"I'll call Darryl right away," Paige said, getting up from the table. "The sooner we learn what there is to learn the better I'll feel."

"Okay," said Piper. "But ask Darryl to do it quietly. If there's nothing to learn I don't want Darren to find out I'm checking up on him."

"Consider it done," said Paige. 


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

Less than an hour after Paige called Darryl there was a knock at the front door. When Paige answered the door she found Darryl standing on the front porch. He was holding a file folder.

"Hey, Darryl, come on in," Paige said. "If I knew you were coming over I would have saved the phone call."

"I'm here because of that call," Darryl said. "You said Piper was dating this Darren Carson."

"Yes," said Paige as Piper and Phoebe came in from the kitchen.

"Hey, Darryl," said Piper. "What brings you over here today?"

"Your Mr. Carson," said Darryl, holding up the file folder. "I ran his name like Paige asked. Red flags started going off almost immediately."

"You mean he has a record?" Phoebe asked.

"No," said Darryl. "But that's apparently because no one can actually prove anything. His name appears in so many cases that it can't be coincidence. Cases involving murdered or missing people. And in all of them Mr. Carson figures prominently."

"You think he's a serial killer?" Paige asked.

"There's not enough to suggest anything," Darryl said. "There really isn't any proof against him only that he seems to be around when people die or go missing."

"We've had our share of that," Piper said.

"Then there's this," Darryl said, pulling what looked like a photograph out of the folder.

The photograph was obviously a police identification picture. It showed a large dagger with a very ornately inscribed handle. There was also a tag tied to the handle of the dagger identifying it as evidence in a police investigation.

"This was discovered at the scene of a man who went missing a couple of years ago," Darryl said.

"It looks like an athame," Piper said, looking at the picture. "But it's more ornately decorated than most I've seen."

"It's a sacrificial ceremonial athame," Chris said, coming into the room. "It's used in rituals that involve human sacrifices. The Incas, Aztecs, even the Egyptians used similar athames."

"Like I said," said Darryl, "this one was found at the scene where a man went missing. The only prints on it are those of one Darren Carson."

"You think he used this to kill that man?" Phoebe asked.

"No one knows," Darryl said. "There was no blood found on the knife. According to the report the inspector filed, Mr. Carson claimed to have sold that particular knife a few days previously. Which would account for his prints being on it. But the man that disappeared was never seen again."

"I told you he was dangerous," Chris said to Piper.

"Just calm down," Piper said. "This really doesn't prove anything. If there was no blood on the athame it means he didn't use it to kill anyone."

"Unless he cleaned it off," Darryl said. "There was some blood found at the mans' apartment. The one who disappeared. It wasn't Carson's blood so it's assumed it belonged to the guy who disappeared."

"So Carson could have killed the man," said Phoebe, "disposed of the body, then came back to clean up the crime scene. He cleaned the knife but the police showed up before he could get rid of it."

"That's what the inspector speculated in his report," Darryl said. "But other than his prints on this knife, there wasn't any other evidence. They couldn't hold him so they had to let him go. Piper, if you're seeing this guy you need to be very careful. I've checked and he's been implicated in at least seven murders and five disappearances. And according to the reports, some of them included items of an occult nature."

"A witch hunter," Chris said. "It's the only thing that makes any sense. Either that or a warlock that's been killing witches and stealing their powers."

"Hold on," Piper said. "We're jumping to conclusions. There could a very reasonable explanation for all this."

"Like what?" Darryl asked. "Piper I've been a cop a long time. I've learned to tell when something doesn't feel right. And this doesn't feel right. There are too many coincidences for them to be coincidence. His name appears in more reports than most police officers' names. And all involve people who have been murdered or who've never been heard from again."

"He's right, honey," said Phoebe, putting her hand on Piper's shoulder. "Look, I know you really like this guy. And I know you don't want to believe that he's a demon. But let's face it. What Darryl has learned changes everything. This guy is killing people. Maybe he's a demon or a warlock or maybe he's just a serial killer. But you've got to face the fact that he's not what he appears to be."

"I know," said Piper. "I just didn't want to believe that it was Jeremy all over again. But I can't figure out what his game is. If he's planning on me being his next victim why hasn't he done anything yet?"

"You may not be his next victim," Darryl said. "If he's a serial killer then he goes after specific types of people. People that remind him of his mother or father. People that were abusive to him. Something that the victims all have in common. So far no link has been found between all of the victims but there has to be one. We just haven't figured out what it is yet.

"Piper, it's possible his intentions in you are genuine. But that makes him even more dangerous. He obviously doesn't want you to learn what he's doing. And if he thinks you know something, he'll get rid of you to protect himself. Even if you're not a planned target you're still in danger. And the longer you see him the more dangerous it's going to be."

"The question is what do we do about it?" Phoebe asked.

"I say we vanquish his butt," Paige offered.

"And if he's not a demon?" Piper asked. "Even if he is a serial killer or something like that, we can't just kill him. That would be murder. Besides, we're not supposed to get involved in things like that. That's what the police are for."

"Exactly," Darryl said. "You need to stay away from him. You need to break it off right away. But you need to do it in a way that won't make him suspicious. If he thinks you've broken up with him because you suspect what he is he'll probably come after you to find out what you know and to get rid of you."

"I'll have to think of something," Piper said. "Thanks, Darryl. You've been a big help."

"Just be careful," Darryl said. "I don't know if this guy is a demon or just some nut job who gets his kicks killing people. Either way he's very dangerous. Watch yourselves."

"We will," Phoebe promised.

"So, what do we do?" Paige asked after Darryl had left.

"First, I'll make up an excuse not to go out with him when he calls," Piper said. "I can say I have an emergency at the club. He had one the other night. He should buy that."

"Then what?" Chris asked.

"We need to find out if he's a demon," Piper said. "If Leo was here he might be able to tell us something."

"Leo's off on another of his searches," Chris said. "Trying to prove I'm the bad guy."

"He's just trying to figure out who sent him to Valhalla," Phoebe said.

"I think we'd better search a little deeper into Darren's background," Piper said. "There has to be something that will tell us if he's a demon or not. I'll put on some coffee. Looks like it's going to be a long day."

As Piper went to put on the coffee, the others began to discuss what they needed to do to discover who Darren Carson really was. 


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

Chris orbed back into the manor later that afternoon. Piper and Phoebe were sitting in the living room talking. Phoebe was holding Wyatt as they talked. Paige was nowhere to be seen.

"Well?" Piper asked.

"No one was there, just as we suspected," Chris said. "I was able to look around quite a bit."

"What did you find?" Phoebe asked.

"This," Chris said, laying an athame on the coffee table. It resembled the picture of the athame Darryl had shown them. "There were several of these hidden in a box in the back of his closet. Some had blood on them."

"I guess that settles it," Phoebe said. "There's only one reason someone would have those."

"I guess you're right," Piper said. "It must mean he's a warlock or a demon."

"My guess is he's a warlock," Chris said. "There wasn't anything to suggest he wasn't anything other than human. I'm betting this Keith fellow you mentioned is probably also a warlock. They're probably working together."

Just then Paige orbed back into the manor.

"That was good timing," Phoebe said. "Chris just got back. He found this in Darren's apartment."

She showed the athame to Paige.

"That would go along with what I found out in Maryland," Paige said. "Apparently San Francisco isn't the only place where Mr. Carson has been busy. The police out there have his name connected to almost as many cases out there as Darryl found out here. Nothing they could prove but he seems to be around when people are murdered or disappear."

"So it looks like we have a warlock on our hands," Piper said.

"So it would seem," said Phoebe. "And we have to do something about it. There's only one reason he'd be interested in you, Piper. Jeremy waited six months before he made his move."

"That's because our powers were still bound," Piper said. "He had to wait until you read the inscription from the Book of Shadows and we got our powers before he could do anything."

"Well, Carson is obviously up to something," Chris said. "He's probably waiting until the time is right before he strikes. We have to do something before that happens."

"I know," Piper said.

"Has he called yet?" Paige asked.

"No, not yet," said Phoebe. "That seems a bit strange. Piper said they were supposed to finish their date from last night. They were interrupted."

"An interruption that probably meant he was out killing someone else," Chris said. "We'll probably see a report about it on the news. We have to do something before he strikes again. Before another witch or innocent is murdered."

"That's the strange part," Piper said. "I can't believe all of his victims have been witches. If they were he'd have so many powers he wouldn't have to worry. So some of his victims must have been innocents. The question is, why is he killing innocents?"

"Maybe he just likes to kill," Paige offered. "Some people are like that. Maybe he kills just for the thrill of it."

"But most serial killers work alone," Chris said.

"True," said Piper. "But that could also explain why he's never been caught. If Keith is helping him it would be easier to make sure there was no incriminating evidence left lying around. Plus, if there are two warlocks going after the same victim it would make their chances of success greater."

Just then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Phoebe said, handing Wyatt to Piper.

"Did you have much trouble getting the information in Maryland?" Piper asked Paige.

"No," Paige said. "I told the detective I spoke to that I was a reporter. I was working on a story about unsolved homicides and he was more than happy to fill me in. Of course, I think he might have gotten the impression I was going to call him later."

"Well, the important thing is you got the information," Chris said. "Piper, I think even you have to admit there's more than enough evidence now to show us that this Darren is a threat."

"Yeah, you're right," Piper said. "As much as I hate to admit it, it just seems like I have this habit of attracting the worse possible men. And I don't think we have any other choice. Warlock or not he has to be stopped. There's no telling how many people he's all ready killed or how many more he plans to kill. We have to stop him."

"Piper, Paige," Phoebe called from the front door.

There was a note of urgency in her voice. Piper, Paige, and Chris all hurried to the front door to see what was going on. As they rounded the corner of the living room they all stopped short. Standing on the front porch with a big smile on his face was Darren Carson. 


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

"Hi," Darren said. "I know I was supposed to call. But it's such a beautiful day I thought maybe a ride through the park would be better."

"Darren," Piper said, handing Wyatt to Chris. If she needed to use her powers she wanted both hands free. And Wyatt out of the way. "How did you get my address?"

"From the phonebook," Darren said, the smile fading. "I'm sorry if I've come at a bad time. I just thought that after last night I needed to make it up to you."

"Oh, okay," said Piper, not sure what to say. "Well, uh, these are my sisters, Phoebe and Paige. And this is Chris, a friend of the family."

"And who's the little one?" Darren asked.

"Oh, uh, that would be Wyatt," Piper said. "He's, uh, my son."

"Your son?" Darren questioned. "You never mentioned a son."

"Yeah, well, I was waiting for the right time," Piper said.

"Well, he's adorable," said Darren. "So, are you going to ask me in or not?"

"Not," Chris said before anyone could answer.

"I see," said Darren. "Piper, if I've done something I'm sorry. Everything seemed to be going so well and I just thought..."

His voice trailed off suddenly as he got a perplexed look on his face.

"What's the matter?" Piper asked uneasily.

"Does he do that much?" Darren asked pointing at Wyatt.

They all looked at Wyatt to see him orbing his eyes. The same thing he had done recently to try and scare off most of Pipers' dates.

"Wyatt, stop that," Piper said, taking her son from Chris.

"Wait a second," Darren said. "You have a son. A son who can orb his eyes."

Suddenly Darren broke out in a fit of laughter. It subsided quickly and he wiped a couple of tears from his eyes.

"Something funny?" Phoebe asked.

"More than you know," Darren said. "You're the Charmed Ones. Piper has told me so little about her family I never would have guessed."

"You know who we are?" Paige asked. "Not surprising, really. I guess most warlocks know who we are."

"Warlock?" Darren questioned. "Is that what you think I am?"

"How do you explain this?" Chris said, holding up the athame he had found in Darren's apartment. "You seem to have a number of them. Not to mention you seem to figure prominently into quite a large number of murders and disappearances. Both here in San Francisco and back in Maryland."

"I see you've been checking me out," Darren said. "If I can come in for a minute I think I can clear this whole misunderstanding up."

"Come in and do what?" Phoebe questioned. "If you know who we are then you must also know you won't get away with whatever you have planned. We've dealt with warlocks before."

"I'm very aware of that," Darren said. "Please. It will take only a minute. And I'm pretty sure you don't want me doing it out here. Where all the neighbors can see."

"Just remember," Piper said, "we know how to handle your kind. Try anything funny and you won't live long enough to finish it."

Smiling Darren followed them into the living room. The sisters took up defensive postures around him while Chris stood in the back holding Wyatt.

"You're right, Piper," Darren said. "This is a beautiful house."

"Enough chit chat," Piper said. "You said you had something to say. Well, say it."

"Actually," said Darren, "more like something to show you. Keith."

"Your cohort?" questioned Paige. "He won't be able to help you here."

"Please, just wait," said Darren. "Keith, it's okay. I need you down here right now."

Suddenly a figure began to orb into the living room next to Darren. As the figure orbed in, Leo came walking out of he kitchen.

"What's going on?" he asked.

No one spoke. The figured finished orbing and Keith stood next to Darren a perplexed look on his face.

"Darren, are you sure it was such a good idea to," he began. Then he noticed Leo standing behind the group. "Leo? What are you doing here?"

"Keith," said Leo. "I could ask you the same thing." He turned to Piper who had a perplexed look on her face. "What's going on here?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Piper said.

"As I said," said Darren, "I think I can clear up this little misunderstanding. I'd like you all to meet Keith Spencer. My Whitelighter."

"Leo?" Keith questioned again. "Well, if you're here then that must mean... That means that Piper and her sisters are... And the child is... Oh my God. You're the Charmed Ones."

Suddenly Keith started laughing. Darren just stood smiling at the group as they all watched in total amazement without any idea of what was going on. 


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT 

"You're a witch?" Piper finally asked when they had all sat down in the living room.

"Yes," said Darren.

"Then how do you explain this?" Chris asked, holding up the athame again.

"Taken off my victims," Darren said. "Many of the demons and warlocks I've vanquished had weapons. I keep them so someone else can't use them. It also explains why I figure so prominently in those murders and disappearances. They weren't murders. They were vanquishings."

"They were all warlocks or demons," Paige said. "That's what they have in common. No wonder the police can't find a common element to the crimes."

"I can't very well tell them I'm vanquishing demons," Darren said.

"So the other night in the restaurant," Piper began.

"We've been tracking a demon for the past couple of weeks," Keith said. "I finally figured out where it was going to strike next and Darren had to get there right away to stop it. If he hadn't, an innocent would have died."

"I knew the Charmed Ones existed," Darren said. "But I never knew your names. But Keith did tell me that an Elder had married one of his charges. One of the Charmed Ones. And they had a son. There's only one child I know of that has the ability to orb. The son of an Elder. When I saw Wyatt orbing his eyes I knew that was the only explanation."

"So what was so funny?" Phoebe asked. "You both almost became hysterical."

"It's because you're witches," Keith said. "Darren and I have talked about it. He wanted to find a nice, mortal woman. He didn't want to become involved with a witch. He wanted to keep his personal life and his witch life separate."

Suddenly Piper began to laugh.

"Oh, now that is funny," she said. "I was doing the same thing. After Leo and I broke up, I decided I wanted a normal life. Well, as normal as possible. I was looking to date only normal, human men. No one with any kinds of powers. If I had known you were a witch I would never have accepted your invitation to dinner."

"If I had known you were a witch," said Darren, "and a Charmed One to boot, I would never have asked you out. It's ironic. Both of us are looking for the same thing and both of us finding exactly the opposite."

"Leo, I'm sorry," said Keith. "I never imagined Piper was your ex-wife. If I had known..."

"It's okay, Keith," Leo said. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't know. I may not be happy with the situation but I do have to learn to live with it."

"Under the circumstances," Darren said, "I guess the carriage ride is out of the question."

"Oh, I don't know," said Piper. "A carriage ride with a friend sounds kind of nice."

"Great," said Darren. "It will give us a chance to really talk for a change. Without any of the secrets we've been keeping."

"Now that sounds like a really good idea," Piper said. "That is, if I can find a babysitter."

"No problem," Paige said. "Phoebe loves to baby sit. I think I'm going to pop over and see Richard for a while."

"Oh no you don't, sister," said Phoebe. "It's your turn to sit with Wyatt and give me a break for a change."

"I'll tell you what," said Leo, taking Wyatt. "Why don't I baby sit? That way all three of you can relax for a while and it will give me a chance to bond with my son."

"Great idea," Piper said.

"Great," said Darren. "Maybe later I can get a chance to take at look at this Book of Shadows Keith has told me so much about."

"I think that can be arranged," Piper said. "Give me a few minutes to change and I'll be ready to go. Oh, Paige. Make sure you fill Darryl in on what's happened. I'm sure he'll be glad to know that Darren is no demon."

"Sure thing, sis," Paige said.

Piper went to her room to change. Phoebe also went to her room to change. Paige orbed out of the manor heading for Richards' house. This left only Leo, holding Wyatt, Chris, Darren, and Keith in the living room.

"Well," said Chris. "There's still a demon I need to find."

Chris suddenly orbed out of the manor.

"Come on, Keith," Leo said. "Let's take Wyatt up there so I can show him off some more. In the mean time we can make sure that all the Whitelighters know who the Charmed Ones are so this never happens again."

"Good idea," said Keith.

They orbed out of the living room leaving Darren on the sofa waiting for Piper.

The End

If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, You can also post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.

I also want to announce the release of my very first published book. It's called "Outlander" and you can learn about it at the publishers website located at Publish America.


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